Santorini sits in the heart of the Cyclades, so it's an easy launchpad for adventures beyond the caldera. The classic outing is the boat trip to the smoking volcano and its warm sulphur springs; from there you can escape the crowds on sleepy Thirassia, ferry-hop to beachy Ios, historic Naxos or the lunar landscapes of Milos, or spend a lazy half-day touring the island's volcanic wineries. Here are the six day trips worth the effort, with distances, durations and tips.
€€Volcano & Hot Springs Cruise
Area
Caldera
Distance
Centre of caldera
“The classic Santorini excursion — combine the volcano crater walk, the hot springs and Thirassia in one trip, ending at the Oia sunset.”
€€Thirassia Island
Area
Across the caldera
Distance
Boat from Ammoudi/Fira
“Santorini as it was 40 years ago — a sleepy island of a few tavernas and no crowds; go for a long, lazy fish lunch by the water.”
€€€Ios Island
Area
Neighbouring Cyclades
Distance
About 45 min by fast ferry
“Famous for gorgeous beaches by day and legendary nightlife by night; go for Mylopotas beach and the pretty hilltop Chora.”
€€€Naxos Island
Area
Neighbouring Cyclades
Distance
About 2 hours by ferry
“The greenest, most self-sufficient Cyclade — go for the Portara gateway, the old Venetian Chora and huge sandy beaches.”
€€€Wine Country Tour
Area
Santorini interior
Distance
Across the island
“A guided half-day hitting three or four wineries is the best way to taste Assyrtiko and Vinsanto without worrying about driving.”
€€€Milos Island
Area
Neighbouring Cyclades
Distance
About 2–3 hours by ferry
“Go for the lunar-white cliffs of Sarakiniko and the island's astonishing, otherworldly beaches; a longer but memorable hop.”
Santorini day trips in detail
1.Volcano & Hot Springs Cruise
The volcano and hot springs cruise is the quintessential Santorini day (or half-day) trip, taking you into the heart of the caldera that gives the island its extraordinary shape. From Fira's Old Port — reached by cable car — or from Ammoudi Bay, boats sail out to the black volcanic islet of Nea Kameni, where a guided trail climbs across steaming lava fields to the crater rim, revealing the geological force that created Santorini. The boat then moves to Palea Kameni for a swim in the warm, rust-coloured sulphur springs, a bucket-list dip in bath-temperature water. Many versions extend the day with a stop at the traditional island of Thirassia across the caldera for lunch, and the most popular timing returns past Oia for the famous sunset from sea level. Options range from cheap, no-frills boat tickets to guided tours with barbecue meals and drinks aboard elegant catamarans. Wear closed shoes for the sharp lava, bring old swimwear for the staining springs, and pack sun protection. It's the one boat trip most visitors shouldn't leave the island without.
Hours
Daily departures in season (morning, midday and sunset)
Price
From about €25 boat only; guided/BBQ versions more
Getting there
Boats from Fira Old Port (via cable car) or Ammoudi Bay
Insider tip: The classic Santorini excursion — combine the volcano crater walk, the hot springs and Thirassia in one trip, ending at the Oia sunset.
2.Thirassia Island
Directly across the caldera from Oia lies Thirassia, a small island that was part of Santorini until the great eruption blew them apart, and which today offers a spellbinding glimpse of what the island was like before mass tourism arrived. Home to only a few hundred residents, Thirassia has no big hotels, no cruise crowds and no glossy sunset bars — just a scattering of whitewashed villages, a couple of tavernas by the little harbour of Korfos, quiet beaches and footpaths climbing to the sleepy clifftop capital of Manolas. A trip here is about slowing right down: a boat across the water, a long lunch of fresh fish with your feet almost in the sea, a wander through streets where locals outnumber visitors, and views back across the caldera to Santorini's famous cliffs. Some visitors come on organised caldera cruises that pause here; others take the small public ferry for a more independent, unhurried day. For travellers craving peace and authenticity as an antidote to Santorini's busy honeypots, Thirassia is a rewarding and easy escape.
Hours
Daytime; small ferries and excursion boats in season
Price
Ferry a few euros; tours more
Getting there
Small ferry from Ammoudi Bay/Athinios, or on a caldera cruise
Insider tip: Santorini as it was 40 years ago — a sleepy island of a few tavernas and no crowds; go for a long, lazy fish lunch by the water.
3.Ios Island
Just a short fast-ferry hop north of Santorini, Ios makes an easy and fun day trip to a very different kind of Cycladic island. Where Santorini is romance and dramatic caldera views, Ios is beaches and energy: it's famous for some of the finest sandy beaches in the Cyclades, above all the long golden sweep of Mylopotas, as well as a hilltop Chora (main town) of whitewashed lanes, windmills and blue-domed churches that's a delight to wander. By night, Ios has a legendary party reputation, its Chora packed with bars that draw a young summer crowd, though the island is perfectly enjoyable by day for those not chasing the nightlife. A day trip typically allows time for a swim and lunch at Mylopotas, a stroll and coffee in the Chora, and the ferry back — or you could stay over to experience the famous nights. Fast ferries run daily in season and take around 45 minutes, so it's a genuinely doable outing. For beach lovers and younger travellers wanting a change of pace from Santorini's refined mood, Ios delivers sun, sand and fun.
Hours
Daytime; fast ferries daily in season
Price
Ferry fares vary; book ahead in peak
Getting there
Fast ferry from Athinios port (about 45 min)
Insider tip: Famous for gorgeous beaches by day and legendary nightlife by night; go for Mylopotas beach and the pretty hilltop Chora.
4.Naxos Island
Larger and greener than its neighbours, Naxos is the most fertile and self-sufficient of the Cyclades, and a rewarding full-day ferry trip from Santorini for those wanting history, beaches and a more lived-in island. Its calling card is the Portara, a colossal marble doorway standing alone on an islet by the harbour — all that was built of a 6th-century BC temple to Apollo, and a magnet at sunset. Behind it, the old town rises in a maze of Venetian lanes topped by a medieval Kastro, full of shops, tavernas and history. Naxos also boasts some of the finest, longest sandy beaches in the Cyclades along its west coast, plus a mountainous interior of traditional villages, olive groves and ancient kouros statues for those who venture inland by car. As a day trip, ferry times mean you'll focus on the town, the Portara and a beach, but it gives a real taste of a bigger, more rounded island. Check ferry schedules carefully, as journey times vary by vessel; the faster services make a comfortable day out.
Hours
Daytime; ferries in season
Price
Ferry fares vary; book ahead
Getting there
Ferry from Athinios port (roughly 1.5–2 hours depending on service)
Insider tip: The greenest, most self-sufficient Cyclade — go for the Portara gateway, the old Venetian Chora and huge sandy beaches.
5.Wine Country Tour
Santorini's volcanic soil, near-total lack of rain and ancient basket-trained vines produce wines unlike anywhere else on earth, and a guided wine-country tour is the ideal way to explore them without the worry of drinking and driving. Over a half-day, a small-group tour with hotel pickup typically visits three or four contrasting wineries — from big caldera-view operations like Santo Wines to intimate family estates such as Gavalas, Venetsanos, Domaine Sigalas or Boutari — tasting a range of the island's signature crisp, mineral Assyrtiko whites and the luscious sun-dried Vinsanto dessert wine, often paired with local cheeses, tomato paste and other Santorinian bites. A knowledgeable guide explains the extraordinary viticulture, the volcanic terroir and the history of winemaking here, turning it into an education as much as an indulgence. The clustered wineries around Pyrgos, Megalochori and Akrotiri mean minimal driving between stops, and sunset-timed tours end on a high with a caldera-view finale. For food-and-wine lovers, it's one of the most enjoyable and distinctive day activities the island offers, and a delicious counterpoint to beaches and viewpoints.
Hours
Morning or afternoon departures in season
Price
Guided tours with tastings from around €90–130
Getting there
Hotel pickup; wineries clustered around Pyrgos, Megalochori and Akrotiri
Insider tip: A guided half-day hitting three or four wineries is the best way to taste Assyrtiko and Vinsanto without worrying about driving.
6.Milos Island
For travellers with a full day and a taste for the extraordinary, Milos — like Santorini, a volcanic Cycladic island — rewards the longer ferry crossing with some of the most spectacular and surreal coastal scenery in Greece. Its most famous sight is Sarakiniko, a stretch of coast where wind and waves have sculpted brilliant white volcanic rock into smooth, lunar formations that feel more like another planet than a beach, dazzling against the deep blue sea. Beyond it, Milos is ringed by an astonishing variety of beaches and coves — over seventy of them — in colours from white to red to ochre, many reachable only by boat, plus the pretty fishing village of Klima with its colourful boathouses and the ancient site where the Venus de Milo was found. As a day trip it's ambitious given the ferry time, so check seasonal schedules carefully and consider it best for those willing to make an early start or even stay a night. But for landscape lovers wanting to see something genuinely unique, Milos is unforgettable and a fascinating volcanic cousin to Santorini.
Hours
Daytime; seasonal ferries, check schedules
Price
Ferry fares vary; longer crossing
Getting there
Seasonal fast ferry from Santorini (roughly 2–3 hours; verify times)
Insider tip: Go for the lunar-white cliffs of Sarakiniko and the island's astonishing, otherworldly beaches; a longer but memorable hop.